Olympics

"Their first record was credited to Walter Ward and the Challengers (""I Can Tell"" on Melatone Records). After the name change, they recorded ""Western Movies"" (Demon Records) in the summer of 1958. Co-written by Fred Smith and Cliff Goldsmith, ""Western Movies"" made it to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song reflected the nation's preoccupation with western themed movies and television programs. It told the story of a man who lost his girl to TV westerns, and it included doo-wop harmonies as well as background gunshots and ricochet sound effects.

In 1959 the group recorded ""(Baby) Hully Gully,"" which initiated the hully gully dance craze. ""Big Boy Pete,"" which the group released in 1960, served as inspiration for The Kingsmen's ""Jolly Green Giant."" Over the next ten years The Olympics recorded upbeat R&B songs, often about dances popular at the time.

In 1966 The Rascals covered The Olympics 1965 song, ""Good Lovin'"", and took it to #1 on the US Hot 100. Since then, many recorded versions have been made by prominent artists, including The Who, The Grateful Dead, and Bobby McFerrin.

Fizer was shot and killed during the Watts Riots in 1965. Shortly thereafter, King left the group after his sister died in an accidental shooting. A revamped group continued to record into the early 1970s but were unable to attain popular chart success after the mid 1960s. The Olympics continued to perform on the oldies circuit in the United States and other countries.

Walter Ward's song ""Well (Baby please don't go)"" (the b-side to ""Western Movies"") was recorded twice by John Lennon in 1971: the February 1971 studio recording was not issued until the 1998 John Lennon Anthology, then again on Wonsaponatime. A June 1971 live recording with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention was issued on 1972's Some Time In New York City, and on Zappa's 1992's Playground Psychotics."

The Olympics were a doo-wop group formed in 1957 by lead singer Walter Ward (born August 28, 1940 in Jackson, Mississippi — died December 11, 2006 in Northridge, California). The group included Eddie Lewis (tenor, Ward's cousin), Charles Fizer (tenor), Walter Hammond (baritone) and Melvin King (bass) and except for Lewis were friends in a Los Angeles, California high school. Their first record was credited to Walter Ward and the Challengers ("I Can Tell" on Melatone).
After the name change, they recorded "Western Movies" (Demon Records) in the summer of 1958. Co-written by Fred Smith and Cliff Goldsmith, "Western Movies" made it to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song reflected the nation's preoccupation with western themed movies and television programs. It told the story of a man who lost his girl to TV westerns, and it included doo-wop harmonies as well as background gunshots and ricochet sound effects.
In 1960 the group recorded "(Baby) Hully Gully," which initiated the hully gully dance craze. "Big Boy Pete," which the group also released in 1960, served as inspiration for The Kingsmen's "Jolly Green Giant."
The Rascals later covered their song "Good Lovin'" and took all the way to #1.
Over the next 10 years The Olympics recorded upbeat R&B songs, often about dances popular at the time.
Fizer was shot and killed during the Watts Riots in 1965. Shortly thereafter, King left the group after his sister died in an accidental shooting. A revamped group continued to record into the early 1970s, but were unable to attain popular chart success after the mid 1960s. The Olympics continued to perform on the "oldies group" circuit in the United States and other countries.

50s, 60s Hits

Western Movies

Album:

The Best Of The Olympics
(1958)

Song Details:

xx

Lyrics:

o save my soul I can't get a date,
Baby's got it tuned on channel eight.
Now Wyatt Earp and the Big Cheyenne
They're comin' thru the T.V. shootin up the land.
Ah...um...my baby loves the Western movies.
My baby loves the Western movies,
Bam, bam, shoot 'em up Pow.
Ah..um..My babe loves the Western Movies.
I call my baby on the telephone
To tell her half my head was gone
I just got hit by a great big brick
She says thanks for reminding me about that Maverick
Ah..um...my baby loves the Western movies.
My baby loves the Western movies,
Bam, bam, shoot em up pow.
Ah...um...
My baby loves the Western movies.
Well there's Jeremy Roller and Old Cochise
Jim Hardy, Jim Bowie and Sugarfoot.
They all have gun will travel
Give me back my boots and saddle uh huh.
Here's the story of the certain Wagon Train Mccord
A broken arrow has broken my heart.
A Jefferson Thomas with Bat Masterson
Unties my baby and the fight was won.
Ah..um...my baby loves the Western movies.
My baby loves the western movies.
Bam bam shoot em up pow.
Ah um, my baby loves the western movies.